Machine for inking the edges of shoe soles and heels



e. s. SHAAK 43,635

MACHINE FOR INKING THE EDGES OF SHOE SOLES AND HEELS June 30, 1953 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 23, 1952 I IN VEN TOR. yea/ye d, Jfiaa/r,

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GIS/SHAAK June 30, 1953 MACHINE FOR INKING THE EDGES 0F SHOE SOLES ANDHEELS 4 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed May 25, 1952 INVENTOR. 61 mm 6. @001.

A Twill/f) June 30, 1953 I s SHAAK 2,643,635

MACHINE FOR INKING THE EDGES OF SHOE SOLES AND HEELS Filed May 23, 19524 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

eozye c5, diva/f ATTO/P/VZK June 30, 1953 as. SHAAK MACHINE FOR INKINGTHE EDGES OF SHOE SOLES AND HEELS Filed May 23, 1952 1 Sheets-Sheet 4 um ll' INVENTOR. z

62 02966, (Sf/004, BY

Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES MACHINE FOR INKIN G THE EDGES OFSHOE SOLES AND HEELS 10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a machine for inking the edges of shoe solesand heels.

The invention is more particularly concerned with a machine forstaining, treating or applying a uniform coat of ink of any desiredthickness to the edge surface of the sole and heel of a shoe.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a machine which iscapable of applying ink to the soles and heels of shoes without soilingor defacing the white stitching on both the welt ,and the tread, andwith greater dispatch and facility than is provided by the customaryhand operation.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 'vide a machine of thecharacter referred to which in its operation eifects a more consistentlydelicate touch over the entire edge surfaces of a shoe sole and heelthan has been possible in the customary inking operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine which isadapted to efiiciently ink the edges of soles and heels of shoes ofdifferent sizes as well as those having soles of different curvatures. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine forinking the edge surfaces of shoe soles and heels which is relativelysimple in construction, highly efficient in operation and which iscapable of manufacture and servicing at relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent inthe course of the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a top plan view ofthe rotatable ink supply supporting table showing only one of the fourinking assemblies complete, the other three being shown fragmentallyonly.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view showing a complete inking assembly inface View which may be at the operators position relative to themachine, this view also showing another of the four inking assemblies inedge elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan View of the lower end of the table-supportingtube.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the tubular supporting pedestal.

Fig. 5 is a broken front elevational view of the supporting pedestal. v

Fig. 6 is a broken side elevational view of the pedestal as observedfrom the left of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a side elevational View of the ink control assembly.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the ink control assembly.

Fig. 9 is a right-hand end elevational view of the ink control assemblywith parts omitted for clarity of disclosure.

Fig. 10 is a view partially in plan and partially in section of acompound tubular member included in the ink control assembly.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the treadle.

Fig. 12 is a right-hand elevational view of the treadle.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Ill designates a tubularsupporting pedestal which is provided with a supporting base II. Thetubular pedestal Ill rotatably supports a tube l2 Whose upper end isprovided with a flange I3 rigidly connected to the under face of the topH of a table l5 centrally thereof, and the lower end of the tube isprovided with four generally semi-circular notches l6 disposed 90 apartabout the circumference of the tube.

The pedestal It is provided with a bolt I! which supports the lower endof the tube l2 and which normally seats in twodiametrically opposednotches Hi to retain the tube [2 and table l5 against rotation whilepermitting the table upon an initial elevation thereof to be rotatedthrough an angle of 90 or multiples thereof in order to bring anydesired inking assembly into position at the operators station.

The pedestal I0 is further provided with three bolts IB adjacent itsupper end in 120 circumferentially spaced relation. These bolts arescrew-threaded through the wall of the pedestal and are adapted to be soaxially adjusted that their inner ends engage and center the upperportion of the tube I 2, and the bolts l8 are provided with lock nuts l9adapted to retainthe bolts in their adjusted positions.

The pedestal is also provided with three bolts disposed intermediate thethrough bolt l1 and the bolts l8, two of which are similar to bolts l8and are designated 20, and each of which is provided with a lock nut 2|.The third bolt is designated 22 and which is of angular formationincluding a handle. The three bolts 28, 22 similarly to the bolts H] areadapted to be adiusted to engage and center the tube I2 within thetubular pedestal H The angular bolt 22 further functions to lock thetube l2 against rotation within the pedestal Ill.

The pedestal It is further provided with a bracket 23 intermediate thetwo sets of tube-centering bolts above described. The bracket is in theform of a rectangular plate and is rigidly but adjustably secured to thepedestal by means of a pair of U-bolts 24. The bracket 23 supports abearing 25 in which is rotatably supportedthe intermediate portion of ashaft 26 which is provided with a pair of adjustable collars 2'iengageable with opposite sides of the bearing 25 for retaining the shaft25 against axial movement. The shaft 26 is provided on the longerprojecting end with a spur gear 28 adapted to be driven by suitablepower means, and the shorter project-ing end of the shaft is providedwith a pulley 28 for engagement with a power driven belt.

The pedestal H3 is also provided with a second bracket 29 substantiallybelow the bracket 23 and which is adjustably retained in fixed positionby means of a pair of U-bolts 30.

The table includes four side walls 3! depending from its generallysquare top 14, and depending from each side wall 3i is an apron 32, andeach side wall with its associated apron carries an inking assemblylater referred to, one of which is completely shown in Fig. 2.

Each side wall 3! is provided with an ink-applying rotary brush 33 whichis secured to the outer end of a rotary shaft 34 by means of a pair ofnuts 35. The shaft 34 is rotatably journalled in a bearing 36, and aspur gear 31 is secured to the inner end of the shaft.

The four spur gears 31' carried by the side walls 3| of the table areequally spaced from the axis of tube l2 and at a distance equal to thespacing of the spur gear 28 from the axis of the pedestal I0, and therelative dispositions of the bolt l1 and the notches l6 are such that ineach of the four locked positions of the table, the spur gears 28 and 31will be in meshed driving connection.

Each table side wall 3| is further provided with a tread rest bolt 38which projects outwardly from the side wall and is adjustably retainedin position by means of a thumb nut 39. The tread rest bolt is disposedadjacent the brush 33 and is adapted to support the tread of a shoe Swhich is manually manipulated by an operator.

An ink-control assembly 40 is supported on each table side wall 3!adjacent the corresponding ink-applying brush 33. Each such ink-controlassembly (Figs. '7, 8 and 9) comprises an elongated housing M which isprovided with a longitudinal bore 42 in which is disposed the tubingassembly 43 illustrated in Fig. 10, and which comprises two variablelengths of rubber tubing 44 and 45 joined by an intermediate metallictube 46. The free end of rubber tubing 45 is impinged between a fixedjaw 41 on the housing 41 and a movable jaw 48 which is pivotallysupported by a bolt 49 extending through the housing 4| below the bore42.

A leaf spring 56 has one end thereof secured to the housing 4| and thefree end thereof yieldably bears on the movable jaw 48, and a screw 5iextends through the leaf spring 50 and is threaded into the housing 4|.The leaf spring 5!) through proper adjustment of screw 5| exertssufficient pressure upon the movable jaw 48 to interrupt or completelychoke ofi the flow of ink through the impinged rubber tubing 45.

The intermediate metallic tube 46 is retained in fixed position withinthe bore 42 by means of a screw 52 which extends through the wall ofhousing 4| and bears upon the tube. Since the constant flattening oftubing 45 through pressure of the jaws 4! and 48 thereon would impairthe restoring properties thereof, the screw 52 serves for the rotationof the tubing at intervals, there- A. by avoiding fatigue in theink-dispensing rubber tubing 45.

An ink-regulating screw 53 is adjustably supported in the housing 4! andhas a head overlying the movable jaw 43 for controlling the extent ofopening movement thereof and accordingly the amount of ink fed to thebrush 33.

The housing 4! is supported on the side wall 3! by means of a bolt 54whose free threaded end extends through an aperture in the wall and apair of cooperating nuts 55, 55 on the bolt engage the outer and innerfaces of the wall for retaining the bolt in rigid position.

The bolt 54 adjacent its head end extends through an aperture 5'! in atwo-way pivoting block 58, and a pair of lock nuts 58 on the bolt 54engage a side wall of the block 58 and provide for frictional rotationalmovement of the block on the bolt. This construction provides forraising or lowering the tubing 45 relative to the brush 33.

The pivoting block 58 is connected to the housing 41 by means of a bolt60 disposed at right angles to bolt 54 and whose shank extends throughan aperture 5% in the block 58 and is threaded into the housing 4!, alock nut 62 on the bolt being engageable with the housing for lockingthe bolt in rigid position. This construction provides for frictionallypivoting the housing laterally of the side wall for proper distributionof the flow of ink onto the periphery of the brush 33.

A flexible metallic tube 63 has one end thereof secured to the housing4| by means of a clamp 64. The flexible tube extends downwardly along atable side wall 31 and the adjacent apron 32 and has its opposite orlower end extended through an aperture 65 in a retainer block 66 whichis secured on the inner wall of the apron adjacent a lower cornerthereof by means of a bolt 51 and the tube is secured in the aperture bymeans of a set screw 68.

A Bowden wire 69 extends within the tube 8 throughout its length and hasone end thereof secured to the movable jaw 48 at 10. The opposite orlower end of the Bowden wire is secured to an anchor block H by means ofa set screw 12 and the anchor block is provided with a tapped aperture13 for a purpose later referred to.

A treadle I4 is disposed at the operators station or slightly to theleft of the forwardly facing apron 32 in Fig. 2, and which treadle ispivotally supported intermediate its ends by means of -a shaft 15 whichis secured to the lower wall of the treadle and whose opposite ends arepivotally journalled in bearings 16 suitably secured to a floor.

The treadle 14 is provided with a depressor rod 1'! which is parallelwith shaft 15 and which projects laterally of one edge of the treadleadjacent the operating end thereof as is clearly shown in Fig. 11.

The purpose of the depressor rod 11 is to impart downward movement to ananchor block H which is positioned directly thereabove when the table I5is rotated to an operative position at the operators station wherebyupon pressing down on the treadle 14 the Bowden wire 69 moves themovable jaw 48 away from the fixed jaw 41 in opposition to the action ofspring 50.

Means are provided for readily removably connecting the depressor rod 11with the anchor block and such means are as follows:

The bracket 29 on the pedestal I0 is provided with a laterally extendingmounting bar 18 whose one end is rigidly secured to thebra'cket byscrews '19 and Whose opposite end hasa block 80 secured thereto byscrews 8| I A connector bar 82 has its lower end pivotally connected tothe depressor rod 1'! between a pair of collars 83. The connector bar 82is provided with an elongated slot 84 intermediate its ends and throughwhich extends a bolt 85 and which also extends through the block 80 andis locked thereinby means of a nut 86.

The upper end of the connector bar 82 is provided with a bolt 81 adaptedto be threaded into the tapped aperture 13 in the anchor block H, and awing nut 88 is applied to bolt 81 for locking same in position.

In order to neutralize the weight of the treadle and connector bar, atension spring 89 has one end thereof secured by one of the bolts Bi andthe opposite end thereof is secured to the shank of .a bolt 90 whichextends through and projects laterally of the connector bar 82.

' The' rotatable table I 5 removably supports four ink reservoirs 9|(which preferably are in the form of standard glass Mason jars). Eachreservoir is retained in position by four upright pins 92 secured to thetop I4 of the table and from which the reservoir may readily be removed.

An advantage of the glass reservoirs is that they provide a visualindication of the supply of ink therein and when refilling is required.

The four reservoirs accommodate the four commonly used stains or inks,namely, brown, white, black, and natural. A rigid metal tube 93 extendsthrough and is secured to each of the screw cap covers 94 and to whichcorresponding ends of the rubber tubes 44 are secured.

An inking operation is carried out by the above disclosed machine asfollows: An operator is stationed at a position corresponding to thefront side of Fig. 5 wherein the treadle 14 is located within easy reachat his left, and which treadle as well as the pedestal l remain fixed atall times. The operator will then loosen bolt 22 and rotate the table lthrough an angle of 90 or a multiple thereof, depending upon the colorof ink he desires to use.

When the table is brought into operative position as governed by notchesl6 and bolt ll, gear 3'! will mesh with the power driven gear 28. Thetreadle 14 will then be connected with the Bowden wire anchor block H bymeans of the connector bar 82, as above described. The operator takes aposition facing the rotating brush 33 slightly to the rear and left ofit so that his line of vision is directed to the point of contact of ashoe S with the rotating brush 33 as well as to the point where therubber tubing nozzle tube delivers ink to the periphery of the rotatingbrush, both features being advantageous in performing an inkingoperation.

The operator then grasps a last-supported shoe with his right hand,while a last pin approximately six inches in length is held by his lefthand and thrust into the thimble of the last. As his right hand directsthe edge face of the sole and heel into contact with the periphery ofthe rotating brush, his left hand directs the rotation of the shoe overthe periphery of the rotating brush and completes the inking of a shoein one revolution thereof. The tread rest bolt 38 provides a rest aswell as a guide for the shoe while it is being directed and passed overthe rotating brush.

Both right and left shoes are inked 1n the same manner regardless of thesizes of the shoes or the curvatures of the soles thereof.

6. In theinking operation; the ink of the particular color being used isfedby gravity from the corresponding jar 9| through the rubber tube 44,metallic tube 46 and thenozzle tube which is normally closed by jaws 41and 48 as above described, and the flow of ink is regulated by theoperator through the treadle l4 and the Bowden wire 69.

While I have disclosed my invention in accordance with a singlestructural embodiment thereof, such is to be considered as illustrativeonly and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined inthe following claims.

What I claim'and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for inking the edges of shoe soles and heels and comprisinga vertically disposed pedestal supporting a control treadle at anoperators station, power-operated drive means supported by the pedestal,a horizontal rectangular table rotatably supported on a vertical axis.by said pedestal, an ink assembly supported by each side of the tablecooperating with a respective reservoir and including a rotatableink-applying brush, and drive means for each brush adapted tooperatively engage said power-operated drive means upon rotation of saidtable to bring any one of said inking assemblies into position at saidoperators station.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said pedestal is tubularin form, said table being provided with a cylindrical member dependingtherefrom centrally thereof, and cooperating means on the pedestal andmember for governing the rotation of the table to bring a selectedinking assembly into accurate position at said operators station.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said treadle is providedwith means selectively engageable with and disengageable from the inkingassemblies as they are successively brought into position at saidoperators station and removed therefrom.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein each of said inkingassemblies includes a flexible nozzle for applying ink onto theperiphery of said brush, a conduit intercommunicating said nozzle withan associated ink reservoir, means for normally closing said nozzle, andmeans operatively engageable with said treadle for opening the nozzle.

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein each of said inkingassemblies includes a housing supported on a side wall of said table, aflexible ink-applying nozzle supported by the housing in juxtapositionto the periphery of said brush, a conduit connecting said nozzle to acorresponding ink reservoir, fixed and movable jaws supported by saidhousing receiving the nozzle therebetween and normally closing same,flexible means connected to the movable jaw for retracting same from thefixed jaw for opening of the nozzle, and means for releasably connectingsaid flexible means to said treadle.

6. The structure according to claim 5, wherein said housing is supportedby the table on a pivot parallel to the axis of said brush and a pivotat right angles thereto for selective positioning of said nozzlerelative to the .periphery of said brush.

7. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said ink reservoirs aresupported on the horizontal top of said table and said inking assembliesare supported on vertical side walls of the table.

7 8. A machine for inking the edges 'of shoe soles and heels comprisinga vertical tubular pedestal, a. rectangular table including a horizontaltop and depending vertical side walls, a tube depending from said tabletop centrally thereof and telescoped within said pedestal for rotationof said table about a vertical axis, an ink reservoir supported by saidtable top adjacent each side wall, an inking assembly supported by eachside wall and including a flexible ink-delivering nozzle, a conduitintercommunicating each nozzle with a respective ink reservoir, a shaftjournalled in each side wall normal thereto and having a gear on itsinner end, a rotatable brush on the outer end of said shaft juxtaposedto said nozzle, a treadle at an operators station, means normal- 1ymaintaining each nozzle closed, a flexible member having one end thereofconnected to said means for opening the nozzle, the treadle beingprovided with means for connection with the flexible means at saidoperators station, and

15 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 629,132 Kenison July 18-, 1899629,316 Evans et al. July 18, 1899 20 1,118,542 Erickson Nov. 24, 19141,838,112 Rundell Dec. 29,1931

a power driven gear supported by said pedestal and engageable with atable-carried gear upon rotation of the table to successively positionsaid inking assemblies at said operators station;

9. The structure according to claim 8, together with means for centeringsaid tube within said pedestal. V

10. The structure according to claim 8, together with means on saidpedestal and cooperating with said tube for locking said table in arotated operative position at said station.

GEORGE s. SHAAK.

References Cited in the file of this patent

